Page 457 of The Sinner: James

“It’s a long story,” she mutters.

I have no doubt.

Silently, I observe her, waiting for her to raise her eyes.

“Are you sure he doesn’t know about me?”

“I didn’t tell him. And Diego would’ve never told him about you. He hated to think about the past because of you.”

A few moments pass.

“What’s my brother’s story?” I ask.

She’s pale and restless.

“He had some problems in the past,” she says, barely uttering the words.

“Some?” I toss at her sarcastically.

“He wasn’t a bad kid or anything,” she continues, unperturbed. “But everything changed when Diego and I started to have problems in our marriage. And then came the divorce, Tiago hit puberty, and everything took a turn for the worse. His teenage years were hellish for both of us. It was difficult to discipline him and help him understand what was happening to him. Some of my advice worked to a degree, but most had no effect on him. He’s smart––brilliant, I would say––but he’s hot-tempered and has a mind of his own. He’s unruly. Rebellious. Show him some trouble, and he’ll dive right in. He’s always questioned authority, and that was my first lost battle with him. I suspect he resented my role in his life and took it out on anything that felt too restrictive to him.”

“How did he get into fighting?”

“He got a taste of women first––and that was a rollercoaster––and then he discovered he could make some money boxing, and that got him hooked. He’s good––at least that’s what people say––but that’s not the kind of thing you want to be good at, in my opinion. He could’ve made his money any other way. But he didn’t want to go to college. And he didn’t want to start a business. I had some money stashed away. He could’ve used it for a start-up, but no. He didn’t have the patience for it. Getting a job was out of the question, and he moved out as soon as he finished high school. He lived with a woman for a while and then with another one, and then he left the country and moved to the UK. He got a place of his own, where he currently resides. I talked to his neighbors, but no one had seen him these past few weeks. The rent had been paid in advance for the entire year. That’s another reason I am worried. He might be reckless in many regards, but not when it comes to money. He wouldn’t have paid it had he not intended to use that place.”

“Drugs?”

“Not that I know of, but I don’t think so. He never liked the idea. He’s not the type who hangs out with a crowd and does stupid things.”

“Friends?”

“He had a friend in high school. Benny. I talked to him. He hasn’t heard from Tiago since the beginning of this year.”

I think about it for a second.

“What can I do that you haven’t done already?”

She searches my eyes.

“I hired a private investigator, but his leads went cold rather quickly, and I couldn’t find anything from him. I hoped you’d have more manpower to track your brother down. I can’t think of anything else right now. You’re my only hope.”

“Three weeks, you say?”

“More or less.”

“Has he traveled out of the country before?”

“He went to Germany a couple of times and Italy once.”

“When did he move to London?”

“Last year.”

I suck in a long breath.

“Do you keep in touch with his father?”

“No. Not really. We rarely talk, and when we do, it’s strictly business.”

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